This is a message from the Network for Public Education Action. New Hampshire Republicans plan to introduce voucher legislation tomorrow, to allow public funds to subsidize students at private and religious schools:

It’s a new year, but the fight is the same. Privatizers are introducing a new voucher variant to infect and collapse state public school systems, and this year the first case is in New Hampshire: HB 607.

Local district vouchers are a new program on top of the statewide voucher program the Legislature forced through budget proceedings at the last minute last year, despite objections from Republicans and Democrats.

This new voucher would give families up to 80% of local tax funding for schools, which could amount to $41,000 per student! These vouchers would have the same lack of oversight as the statewide program, so the opportunities for fraud are tremendous.

Please send your letter today and tell New Hampshire’s policymakers this bill would be an irresponsible, dangerous program for students that would destroy community public schools. Click here to send your email:

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/urgent-new-hampshire-house-to-vote-on-new-voucher-bill/

Now pick up the phone and call your Representative. You can find them here.

Here is a script you can use:

My name is [your name] and I am calling today to voice my opposition to the new school voucher scheme, HB 607. This irresponsible bill would take money from our public school districts and put it in the hands of private and religious schools as well as homeschoolers. I am asking that [ Representative’s name] oppose this bill and all other voucher bills this session.

This new voucher bill has no income limit for families, allows homeschoolers to take part, thus increasing local tax burdens, and locks in voucher dollar amounts at the highest level by preventing local districts from decreasing voucher amounts even if their funding declines.

Reaching Higher NH noted in their analysis that, “Each superintendent is responsible for calculating their own school district’s local voucher amount, and there is no mechanism for oversight, guidance, or direction from the NH Department of Education or any other public entity. This could leave district leaders, taxpayers, and families applying for the program vulnerable to misinterpretation of the statute’s vague language..”

Our public schools are under assault and the privatizers are not wasting any time. Send your email today.

Read more of Reaching Higher NH’s analysis here: https://reachinghighernh.org/2021/12/17/10-things-to-know-about-hb-607-the-local-school-voucher-program-that-lawmakers-will-vote-on-in-january-and-4-things-we-still-dont-know/

Thanks for all you do,

Carol Burris

Donations to NPE Action (a 501(c)(4)) are not tax deductible, but they are needed to lobby and educate the public about the issues and candidates we support.